We are fast approaching the semi-final match against Pravda. I've been looking forward to this, as Pravda and Katyusha are some of my favorite characters. Until then, we have to add Mallard team to the fold, develop characters, and have our pre-match arc set.

And, of course, our post match celebration

I apologize in advance for my absolute butchering of the Japanese language. If I'm wrong let me know, I'd like to know how to use some of these words.


"More pasta Hana? Geeze louise, I don't know where all that food goes! it certainly doesn't harm your figure!"

The quiet gunner blushed a bit at the observation; four plates wasn't that much! Plus, Anzio made such wonderful food, how could she resist?

Turning to her fellow gunner friend, Hana stuck her tounge out at Rachel, who laughed and dug into her own second plate of spaghetti. The girls were perched on top of the Panzer IV, kicking their legs as they watched the two teams having fun below.

Pepperoni had brought out Anzio's famous non-alcoholic-alcoholic wine, and it had flowed like water to the tankers. Sam was trying to flirt with several Anzio girls Shinobu pulling her back, while Michael encouraged her and tried to do the same. Hector had let down his hair and was sitting by a bonfire, playing his guitar and singing as several girls gathered around him. His cries of 'Funiculì Funiculà' were a fitting backdrop to the rest of the party. Anzu was busy with Anchovy, Carpaccio was dancing with Caesar while Erwin and the rest of the history club filmed, giggling at their blackmail. Looking further, Rachel spied something that gave her pause.

Down below, by the bonfire Hector was playing the guitar at, she saw the Anzio girl who drove for Pepperoni sitting with one of the first years, playfully flirting with her as the girl giggled and blushed at her affections.

"Hey, Hana?"

"Hm?" the Japanese girl answered, around a forkful of pasta

"Doesn't Yuuki have a boyfriend? She shouldn't be cheating on him!"

Following Rachel's outstretched hand, Hana laughed, "No, no Rachel it's fine! Her boyfriend Actually broke up with her after she took up Sensha-Dō."

"Really? that's horrible! What a... a meanie!"

"Yes, but she's okay now. She asked Saori for advice if I remember, the poor girls seem to see her as their main source of romantic advice..."

Rachel cringed; she loved Saori, but the girl wasn't exactly the love expert she claimed. Still, so long as Yuuki was okay, she was satisfied. Still...

"Speaking of... Have you seen Miho?"

Hana shook her head, "No... in fact, I haven't seen Joshua either in a while..."

The girls looked at eachother, grinning, before scarfing down their food and hopping off the tank


"Ah, this one's an Aspen tree"

"Really? How can you tell?"

"Well you... uh .. can tell because of the way... that it is."

Miho supressed her laughter at the boy obviously trying to impress her, deciding not to point out that it was in fact a Japanese maple tree.

The pair had decided to sneak away from the rest of the party, their comrades growing too rowdy and loud for Miho's taste. Joshua had dutifully followed, under the guise of not wanting her to be alone. They'd walked through the city, then come to a small park. Thrifty minutes ago, Rachel and Hana had shown up, 'discretly' following the pair. They'd mostly been forgotten about when Miho reached for Joshua's hand, walking arm in arm with him and leaning her head on his shoulder. The cherry blossoms weren't blooming too much, being a little late in the season for the famous trees, but they'd accented the night walk just enough that Miho couldn't help but think of the Panzer romance films her and her friends would watch in Kuromorimine.

"Well, mister tree expert, consider me very impressed with your arboreal knowledge!"

Joshua blinked, "You know, it throws me off when you speak English. And even more so when you use English words I don't understand."

The girl laughed, leaning further into his shoulder, causing Joshua tense up before relaxing into her.

"That's it Josh, I'm not gonna bite!"

Miho was happy to finally see her friend loosening up a bit, his awkwardness slowly being chased away. It certainly didn't hurt that as he opened up, they become more and more intimate with eachother. It certainly didn't help that she'd had some of Anzio's wine before coming out... or maybe more than some

Miho Nishizumi was no stranger to a boys affections; as a daughter of the Nishizumi House, she had received (or rather, her mother had received) betrothal offers from the sons of powerful and influencial men since she was ten years old. Her mother had turned them all down, stating her daughter would choose her own husband. Still, during school many boys chased after her; Not only was her name well known, but she was the vice captain of the schools Sensha-Dō team, and a very pretty girl to boot. Koume had received several similar offers, and Erika as well before she chased them off with threats of dismemberment. Maho, of course, received the most out of all of them, but Miho could never remember her taking a boyfriend, or even going on a date.

She giggled at the thought of her stoic sister on a date with some poor boy; He'd probably compliment her or try and talk to her about her intrests, only to be shocked and bewildered as she asked him what he knew about the aerodynamics and ballistics of an 88mm shell fired out of a KwK 36 L/56 tank gun. The only person who she could see her sister Actually enjoying a date with would probably be Eririn, and the thought of Erikas reaction toTHAT caused her to break out in Actual laughter

Joshua cocked his head, "What's so funny?"

"Ah, nothing, it's just funny... Us being on a date made me think... of..." She trailed off

She'd done it now, and Joshua's wide eyed expression punctuated that fact. They'd both comfortably been avoiding putting a name on... whatever it was they were doing, and now she'd gone and said it out loud!

"Stupid, stupid stupid!"

To her relief, Joshua laughed himself; a bit uneasily, but a genuine laugh nonetheless.

"Y-yeah, it's funny what you think of on a... a date"

"A-and what do you... think of?" Miho asked, smiling and staring at him

Joshua gulped, sitting down and bringing Miho with him

"Uh... I uh... How funny Japanese can be..."

Miho scrunched her face in confusion

"What do you mean?"

"Like... some words just seem funny. Like how when you describe how a sound sounds like or something... like uh... geppu, I thought that sounded funny. Especially when you use two words back to back, it sounds cute..."

Miho stared at him, her tipsy mind desperately trying to think of a way to salvage the absolute embarrassment that Joshua was being right now

"That's... true. There's others too... Like waku waku! It's supposed to be water"

Josh snorted at that, and Miho smiled, laughing alongside him

"Ahaha, that's a good one!"

Miho pressed on, getting closer and closer before shouting at him

"Fuwa fuwa!"

"hehe, that sounds cute, what's that one mean?"

"It means... like fluffy! or soft. Then there's... Doki doki"

Joshua cocked his head, "You know, I always hear that one but I never knew what it meant"

Miho smiled and hot closer, her face approaching his

"It's the sound a heart makes when it beats."

Joshua's nervousness returned, but Miho wouldn't let up, crawling closer to him as he laid down further and retreated. finally he was against the ground, his Commander looming above him mere inches (or centimeters, his brain figured, since it was Japan) from his

"That's... that's what that means."

Miho began tracing little circles on his chest, "Yeah... then there's another... RabuRabu..."

"What, uh... what's that mean?"

Miho smiled, feeling Joshua's breath coming out in quick pants on her lips

"So freaking close! Take the shot!"

She wet her lips and went in for the kill

"Let me show you..."


"Saori! Saori! It's happening! It's happening- Yeah I'll get a video! Rachel, I can't see!"

Rachel moved over, trying desperately to keep from squeeing at the sight of her commanders first kiss! Well, she wasn't sure if it was his first kiss, but it made for a more romantic story, so that's the story she would tell.

She immediately dialed her friends, most of whom were together at the party and thus didn't answer. Still, she made sure to get plenty of pictures, and made a mental note to clip the grass where they were for her Miho and Joshua scrapbook she was planning on giving them for their wedding

When Miho laid on top of Joshua, his hand on her waist as they cuddled, both Hana and Rachel blushed, before Hana spoke

"W-we should leave now, I believe Rachel..."

Rachel nodded quickly, turning away: This wasn't what she thought making out was!

"Yeah, yeah let's go!"

Both girls beat a hasty retreat, leaving the two tank commanders to enjoy eachothers company in the park


Out of the window, the snow drifted down gently. The girl watched as it dissapeared, touching the glass and melting, it's compatriots flying in the wind to the ocean. She sat, warm enough inside, with the workers of modern climate control keeping her office a comfortable temperature. Still, some of the cold seeped in, and she wore a jacket over her usual attire.

Her companion approached, gazing out the window. Her expression was not as cold, but every bit as calm.

"The reports came in, I take it?"

"Да, it is as you suspected. I have reviewed the footage myself, as well as the documents. We have intercepted communications from an agent of Kuromorimine's as well, and added her intelligence to our report."

The dark haired girl cocked her eyebrow, "Kuromorimine? It is most unlike them to have field agents, especially against so small a school."

"Yes, but we rechecked the encryption three times. It's an older code, but it checks out. There is no doubt it is Kuromorimine."

"We must bring this to her attention... I must admit, I am glad you came to us with the team of your companions. Though they keep to themselves, I feel I've found a kindred spirit in you, Klara"

The pale girl smiled, "I thank you, Nonna. I feel the same. Now, we musnt keep Her waiting much longer. You know how she gets when she isn't down for her nap in time"

"Да, but it is so adorable it is tempting to do so for that reason alone... No matter. Shall we?"

Both girls strode out of the office together, making their way through the NKVD offices twords the Office Of The Chairwoman Of The Party, Sensha-Dō Commander, and President Of The Committee

Nonna was the first to enter; Herself and Klara were the only ones who would not be purged for opening the door to Her office without knocking. Doing so afforded them certain perks, one of which was the sight that greeted them.

Katyusha sat at her desk, a toy KV-2 tank in one hand, wearing her Tankers helmet and playing with it. On her desk sat a T-34-85 and an IS-2, facing off against several Sherman tanks

" 'Ah, Katyusha, you are so great and strong, you have defeated my forces! Please do not purge us!' Ahhaha, your begging does nothing for Katyusha, Kay! But I am generous, so I shall only destroy your tanks and take your provisions!"

Katyusha then smashed the Sherman with her tank, destroying it before spotting her guests. Quickly stuffing her tanks in her drawer, the girl fumed

"Nonna! Klara! I told you not to enter without knocking! I was... Indisposed!"

Klara turned to Nonna, "она такая очаровательная, я терпеть не могу!"

"Она действительно ... Я должен показать вам как-нибудь в другой раз видео, где она играет в ванне со своими игрушками."

Klara clapper her hands, gasping

"У вас есть такие вещи? Пожалуйста, я должен увидеть!"

Katyusha stomped her foot, marching up to the two girls

"Nonna! Klara! Speak japanese! How many times must I demand it so!?"

"I apologize, Lady Katyusha. Miss Klara and I were simply discussing your great strategies."

Satisfied, the girl walked back to her desk

"Well then what are you waiting for, report!"

"It is as you expected, Katyusha. They have consistently placed spies in every match they've come upon. To think they would do so to us is almost a foregone conclusion"

Katyusha pyramided her hands, contemplating

"And we have an agent we can insert into theirs, yes?"

"We do. Klara had been training her herself. We have selected Nina for this mission."

"Good! Nina is loyal, if a but immature, and such a mission will be good for her!"

Neither girl said anything about the irony of that statement, but pressed on instead

"Yes. I have also made preparations for our... Guests, when they arrive."

"Good! I always can count on you Nonna. Well! I think that is enough planning for today. Come, Katyusha is tired, and it has been a long day. Klara will make her beef Stroganov tonight, this she must do!"

With that, the trip exited, Katyusha riding atop the shoulders of Nonna, and headed into the icy wind twords their apartment.


Yes, I made it happen. I figured they'd start dating at some point. I don't think they're gonna be too lewd, they're both too awkward for that. But what if Erika catches wind of these new developments? Time will tell.

I'm looking forward to showcasing the true power of this fully armed and operational Soviet intelligence division. The Soviets were our most feared adversary of the CIA for a very good reason, and Pravda matches St. Gloriana easily in their capability and competence. Oorai, on the other hand, is very very new to all this. We'll see how well they do...